To Many IM’s? Try this ONE program instead
February 27, 2008 at 5:24 am | In Cool Tools | Leave a CommentDo you depend on instant messaging to stay in touch with friends, family or business associates? Do you end up with Yahoo, AOL, MSN and ICQ all running (or wish you could)? Well here are two different (and yes free) choices to put all your IM’s and IM identities in one place.
The first one I will talk about is Trillian. My daughter uses the free version because some of her friends use AOL and some do not PLUS it keeps a log off all her conversations. (No I am not nosey but if I get worried I want to be able to see who she is talking to if not necessarily the content.) Their are few things that do not translate like text color changes but other than that it works very well. You can get it here: http://www.ceruleanstudios.com/downloads/
The other software is GAIM. I have not had a chance to try it yet but from what I have seen and read it looks every bit as good as Trillian maybe more so. It’s a multiprotocol instant-messaging client that works with Google Talk, AIM and ICQ (Oscar protocol), MSN Messenger, Yahoo!, IRC, Jabber, Gadu-Gadu, SILC, Novell GroupWise Messenger, Lotus Sametime, and Zephyr networks. Get it here: http://gaim.sourceforge.net/
Identifont
February 26, 2008 at 5:00 am | In Cool Tools | Leave a CommentHave you ever tried to figure out the name of a font with nothing more to go on than what it looks like? Just wait until a client sends you a piece of work they either ran across and liked or someone else created for them and they want you to use that same font. They don’t know what its called and they don’t care either.
Well I have had this happened and it took me hours to find something close. NEVER AGAIN! Check out www.identifont.com and never waste time blindly searching for fonts ever again.
It is really easy to use. Click “Identify A Font” answer a few questions about the shape and characteristics of the font you are looking for and it does the rest. It also has a secondary tool that helps you identify the specific font. Just type in the name of the font and Identifont will tell you what programs (if any) it comes with and several places you where can order or download it.
Do you have a favorite cool tool? I would love to hear about it. Email it to me at blog@outsourcingpro.com
A Sleak Alternative to Adobe Reader Bloat
February 20, 2008 at 5:16 am | In Cool Tools | Leave a CommentAnyone who has used Adobe Reader knows it is a huge resource hog. On a older system or one with limited resources AR can slow you to a crawl or stop you altogether (actually this true of every Adobe product I have ever used!!!). Well here is a sweet, sleek alternative:
Foxit Reader
www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php
It runs small and swift, either as a standalone app or from within your browser.
Tickle Your Funny Bone
February 15, 2008 at 5:09 am | In The Funny Bone | Leave a Comment
Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.
Convert Any File To A PDF – For FREE
February 13, 2008 at 5:00 am | In Cool Tools | 2 CommentsToday I am going to tell you about my favorite FREE PDF convertor – CutePDF. In spite of the sugary name it is an excellent piece of software and it is super easy to use – if you can print you can make a PDF. I especially like the fact that you can create a PDF from virtually any type of file. This is especially handy for me when I need to create a proof of a postcard or other design project for a client.
Here is what the creators Acro Software say about their product: Portable Document Format (PDF) is the de facto standard for the secure and reliable distribution and exchange of electronic documents and forms around the world. CutePDF Writer (formerly CutePDF Printer) is the free version of commercial PDF creation software. CutePDF Writer installs itself as a printer subsystem. This enables virtually any Windows applications (must be able to print) to create professional quality PDF documents with just a push of a button.
Basically, this software installs inself as another printer on your system. Open the file you want to covert, go to File/Print and choose CutePDF from the list of available printers. When you click print it will direct you to name and save the new PDF. That’s all there is to it!!
To get CutePDF go here: http://www.acrosoftware.com/Products/CutePDF/writer.asp
Download and install BOTH files (Free Download and Free Converter) on the left side of the screen. That’s it your ready to PDF!!!!
Quickest, Easiest, Most Costs Efficient Way to Speed Up Your PC
February 12, 2008 at 5:11 am | In WinXP Tips and Tricks | Leave a CommentQuickest, Easiest, Most Costs Efficient Way to Speed Up Your PC
There is one really simple way to speed up your PC. Upgrade your memory. It sounds to simplistic but it is the single most effective upgrade you can make. Memory is a cheap upgrade that can double the speed of your system, depending on how much memory you have to start with. The rule of thumb when updating your memory is buy the largest amount of memory you can afford and that your PC can hold. You will probably want to open your PC’s case to see what type of memory you need. There are a lot of different types of memory available and you can’t always tell the difference by looking. Your best bet it to take a piece of memory out of your computer and take it with you.
Don’t be intimidated by the fact that you have to open the case. Changing or adding memory is a simple snap in place upgrade…no cables or anything else. Once the case is open just look for some slim/short narrow cards. They are normally installed in pairs.
For a primer on computer memory check out: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,2164435,00.asp
Quickly Access Control Panel Applets
February 6, 2008 at 4:53 am | In WinXP Tips and Tricks | Leave a CommentYou open the Control Panel by clicking Start -> Control Panel. If it’s not on your Start Menu, it’s easy to add:
- Right-click the Start button and choose Properties from the pop-up menu.
- On the Start Menu tab and click Customize.
- Click the Advanced tab.
- In the Start Menu Items list under the Control Panel section, select either Display As Link or Display As Menu. The former (the default) simply displays a Control Panel option on the Start Menu; the latter displays the Control Panel option with a cascading menu providing direct access to each Control Panel applet.
- Click OK twice to exit the dialogs.
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